How to Choose Sustainable PPE That Delivers on Safety and Performance
Your PPE already has an important job: protecting employees. If it can also support your organization’s sustainability goals, that’s a welcome addition to the workday.
Recycled and bio-based materials are appearing in gloves, safety eyewear, and high-visibility apparel, giving EHS and procurement teams more options to consider.
And buyers are paying attention. In a 2023 study, ISEA found that 80% of respondents considered sustainability attributes important when purchasing PPE and safety equipment. Worker protection remained the priority in ISEA’s sustainable PPE research: ISEA, “Protecting Workers and Planet: Sustainability in the PPE and Safety Equipment Industry” (2023).
So, where do you start? With the job itself. Identify the protection employees need, find products that perform well, and then take a closer look at their environmental attributes. Add cost and replacement frequency to the conversation, and you have a practical purchasing process.
Here's how to work through it:
Start with the job. Workplace hazards, protection levels, fit, and conditions of use determine which PPE makes the shortlist.
Give performance a proper tryout. Comfort, grip, breathability, and compatibility matter throughout the workday.
Look behind the label. Useful environmental claims explain what materials are used, where they are used, and how the claim is supported.
Do the purchasing math. Consider durability and replacement frequency alongside price and material attributes.
Start With the Protection the Job Requires
Before comparing materials, colors, or product features, establish what employees need to work safely.
For general industry, OSHA's PPE requirements call for employers to assess workplace hazards, select PPE that protects employees from those hazards, and choose equipment that properly fits each affected employee. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132(d).
Your shortlist will look different depending on the work:
Gloves: Appropriate cut, puncture, chemical, or other protection for the identified hazards.
Safety eyewear: Suitable impact protection, side coverage, lens features, and compatibility with other PPE.
High-visibility apparel: The appropriate type and class for the work environment and applicable requirements.
For hand protection, OSHA 1910.138 specifically directs employers to consider performance characteristics in relation to the task, workplace conditions, duration of use, and identified hazards. [link: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.138(b), https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.138]
Writing those requirements down gives EHS and procurement a shared set of purchasing criteria and helps keep everyone focused when the product options start multiplying.
Give Performance a Proper Tryout
A product’s specifications tell you a lot. Employees using the product can tell you more.
Two products that meet the same applicable standard may feel quite different during a shift. Gloves can vary in grip, dexterity, coating, and sizing. Safety glasses may fit differently or respond differently to fogging. High-visibility garments can offer different levels of breathability, movement, and practical features.
A field trial helps move the decision from "looks good on paper" to "works well here."
Ask:
Does it fit the employees who will use it?
Can they perform their tasks comfortably and effectively?
Does it work with their other PPE?
Does it hold up under the intended conditions?
What feedback do employees have after using it?
Use the same criteria for every product you evaluate. That gives sustainable options and your current PPE a fair, useful comparison.
A product’s specifications tell you a lot. Employees using the product can tell you more.
Look Behind the Sustainability Label
"Made with recycled materials" is a starting point. The next question is: which materials, and where?
Clear environmental claims should help buyers understand what they are purchasing without requiring a guessing game.
A few terms are worth separating:
Recycled content describes material recovered or diverted from a waste stream and used in a product or its packaging. [link: FTC Green Guides, 16 CFR 260.13 Recycled Content Claims, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-260/section-260.13]
Bio-based content describes material derived wholly or partly from biological sources. Look for information about which component contains that material and, when available, how much is used. [link: USDA BioPreferred Program, optional]
Water-based describes a formulation, such as a glove coating. That description alone does not establish recycled or bio-based content.
When reviewing a product, ask the supplier:
Does the claim apply to the PPE, the packaging, or both?
Which component contains the recycled or bio-based material?
What percentage is used, and what is that percentage based on?
Is supporting documentation available?
Does independent validation cover the specific claim?
Independent programs such as UL Environmental Claim Validation can help substantiate recycled or bio-based content claims. Always verify that the validation applies to the specific product and claim you are reviewing. UL Solutions, Environmental Claim Validation; Textile Exchange, Global Recycled Standard (GRS).
Keep the supporting documents with your purchasing records. Your future self, or the colleague preparing a sustainability report, will appreciate being able to find them.
Do the Purchasing Math
The price on the order is easy to compare. Understanding what happens after the order arrives takes a little more attention.
How often does the product need replacing? Why is it being replaced? Are fit or performance issues affecting its usefulness?
During a trial, record how long PPE remains suitable for use and compare those observations with your current product. This helps you evaluate ongoing purchasing needs alongside the initial price.
A lower-priced item may need replacing more often. A higher-priced option may or may not justify the extra cost. Recycled or bio-based materials alone do not tell you how long a product will last.
Replacement decisions must continue to follow manufacturer guidance, workplace conditions, and the need to maintain protection.
Put Sustainable PPE Into Practice With ZING
At ZING, our approach to sustainable safety products brings recycled and bio-based materials into products designed for workplace protection and performance. [link: ZING sustainability / about page]
Here are three examples to put on your comparison list:
Hand protection: The Z-Force 11-102 combines ANSI A2 cut protection, ANSI Level 3 puncture and abrasion resistance, a bio-based liner, and a water-based PPU palm coating.
Eye protection: The Z-Force 20-105ECO safety glasses offer ANSI Z87+ high-impact protection and built-in side protection, with recycled materials in the temples and packaging. [link: Z-Force 20-105ECO product page]
High-visibility apparel: The Z-Force ST-200 meets ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 requirements and uses GRS-certified recycled material in lightweight, breathable bird's-eye mesh.
As with any PPE purchase, evaluate each product against the hazards, fit requirements, and conditions of its intended application.
Your Sustainable PPE Purchasing Checklist
Before giving a product the go-ahead, work through these six checks:
Required protection: It meets the safety and performance requirements identified for the task.
Fit and usability: Employees can wear it properly and perform their work effectively.
Workplace performance: Any necessary field trial has assessed comfort, durability, and compatibility with other equipment.
Clear material claims: The supplier identifies which components contain recycled or bio-based materials and provides percentages where available.
Supporting documents: Relevant specifications, test information, and environmental claim documentation have been reviewed.
Ongoing cost: Purchase price and observed replacement frequency have been considered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start With One Product and Build From There
You don't have to review the entire PPE catalog in one sitting.
Start with one category or a product you purchase frequently. Define the requirements, evaluate suitable alternatives, and document what you learn. That gives your team a practical foundation for the next purchasing decision.
